Material unloading apparatus



Oct. 10, 1950 w. D. FISH MATERIAL UNLOADING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 7, 1945 R mm Sm @N m Oct. 10, 1950 w. D. FISH 2,524,888

MATERIAL UNLOADING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 7, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 my a.

08. 10, 1950 w. D. FI SH 2,524,888

MATERIAL UNLOADING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 672, 7 (Ami; 62

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Patented Oct. 10, 1950 MATERIAL UNLOADING APPARATUS Walter D. Fish, Claremont, N. H., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, a corporation'of Pennsylvania Application November '7, 1945, Serial No. 627,202 14 Claims. (01. 21453) This invention relates to material unloadin apparatus and more particularly to a rotary dump for mine cars having associated therewith imreaches the mine tipple, the materialis ofttimes' dumped from the cars by a rotary dump which inverts each loaded car so that the material is discharged therefrom by gravity. When a mine car is inverted to discharge its contents, some difficulty has been encountered in completely discharging the packed material in the bottom of the car, particularly when the material is wet and sticky. In order to discharge the packed, wet and sticky material from the car bottom, it has been found necessary to hammer on the car bottom when the car is inverted and, as disclosed in a copending application to John C. Curtis and Elmer G. Gartin, Serial No. 627,203, filed Novemher "7, 1945, owned by applicants assignee, hammering on the car bottom Was effected by means of pneumatic tools mounted on the rotary dump and fluid supply to the hammering tools was effected under manual control.

The present invention is an improvement ove previous known means for hammering on the botton of an inverted mine car ona rotary dump, in that the hammering means is automatically rendered eiiective to hammer on the car bottom when r the rotary dump is rotated to invert the mine car and the hammering means is automaticallyrem dered inactive when the dump is rotated toward its position wherein the car is right side up. In a preferred embodiment, the hammering tools are pressure fluid actuated and pressure fluid is automatically supplied to the tools when the dump is rotated to invert the mine .car, and fluid supply to the tools is automatically discontinued upon initiation of dump rotation toward its position wherein the car is right side up. .In the preferred embodiment, the tools are-supplied with pressure fluid through a releasable coupling for connecting the fluid supply connection on the rotary dump to a source of fluid supply extraneous to the dump, and the coupling is fluid actuated so-that it is automatically connected when the rotary dump assumes its position wherein the mine car is inverted and is automatically released upon initiation offrota'tion of the dump toward its position wherein the car is turned right side up. In a specific embodiment, the fluid supply to the hammering tools is controlled by an automatic valve which is controlled by control means operated by an operating element on the rotary dump, and pressure fluid is conducted to the tools from an extraneous source through a releasable automatic fluid supply coupling which is automatically connected when the dump is rotated into its position to invert the mine car and which is automatically disconnected upon initiation of rotation of the dump toward its position wherein the car is turned right side up. Accordingly, the fluid supply to the hammering tools is controlled automatically by means controlled by the rotary dump so that when the dump assumes predetermined positions, the fluid supply is automatically effected or interrupted.

It is, accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a rotary car dump having associated therewith improved means for hammering on the bottom of .an inverted mine car on the dump to release the wet and sticky material which might be solidly packed in the bottom of the car. Another object is to provide a rotary clump having improved power operated hammering mechanism which is mounted on the rotary dump. to rotate bodily therewith and having improved means for starting and stopping the hammering mechanism automatically in accordance with the predetermined positions assumed by the rotary dump. A further object is to provide improved fluid supply means for auto.- matically connecting a fluid supply connection on the rotary dump with an extraneous source of pressure fluid. A still further object is to provide an improved releasable fluid supply coupling for connecting the fluid supply on the rotary dump to a source of pressure fluid extraneous to the dump. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter I more fully appear. e

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, with parts in central longitudinal vertical section, of a rotary car dump with which an illustrative form of the invention is associatedshowing a mine car in inverteddumping position on the dump.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig.1, showing the rotary dump in end elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the fluid supply coupling in connected position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane of Fig. 3 showing the fluid supply coupling in disconnected position.

Fig. 51s a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the rotary dump turned through 180 into its position wherein the mine car is right side up.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on line %-5 of Fig. 1, showing details of one of the hammering tools.

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the inner pivoted coupling element of the fluid supply coupling.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view with parts in side elevation illustrating the solenoid actuated valve.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the automatic control means for the solenoid actuated valve.

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, the improved hammering means generally designated I is associated with a rotary car dump generally designated 2. Evidently, the invention may be associated with other types of material unloading apparatus.

The rotary car dump is of a conventional design and includes a rotary car supporting structure or carrier 3 supported by circular end supports 4, 41 mounted on bottom rollers carried by a suitable base 6. The rotary carrier or dump structure 3 includes longitudinal frame members l and 8 secured to transverse frame members 9 within the circular end supports 4 and cross supports l0 secured to the members 1 along the length thereof, thus providing a rigid rotary structure capable of supporting the weight of a loaded car such as a conventional mine car I l of the type used in coal mines. Arranged longitudinally within the rotary carrier and secured to the cross supports H] are track rails l2 which, when the rotary dump is in the position shown in Fig. 5, are alined with the rails l3 and H! (see Fig. 1) of a trackway leading to and from the rotary dump. The track rails l3, It may be laid on a suitable bed structure l5 laid on the floor or ground or, if desired, the track bed may be supported directly on the floor or ground with the lower portion of the rotary dump arranged in a suitable recess, such as a pit, in a well known manner. Secured to the inner sides of the transverse frame members 9 and intermediate frame members It secured to the longitudinal frame members 1 and 8, are side flanges or ledges ll wh ch are received in longitudinal guideways l8 on the sides of the mine car I I when the latter is moved within the rotary dump, and these side flanges serve to support the mine car when the latter is in inverted position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The mine car has a bodv l9 which serves as a receptacle for receiving the loose coal or other mat rial to be transported and the body is supported bv wheels adapted to travel along the track rails l3, M of the trackway leading to and from the rotary dump and along the track rails l2 within the rotary dump. Mounted on a platform 2! at one side of the rotary dump is a motor 22 for driving through a conventional clutch controlled transmission 23 a spur gear 24 which meshes with a large spur gear 25 on the outer peri herv of one of the circular end supports 4 of the rotary dum The transmission 23 embodies a conventional clutch mechanism operated by a hand lever 25 for connecting the gear 24 to the motor so that rotation of the dump may front cylinder head 4|.

be started and stopped under manual control as desired. Evidently, suitable automatic stop mechanism may be provided for interrupting the drive when the rotary dump has turned through into its opposite positions as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

Now referring to the means for imparting hammer blows to the car bottom when the mine car is in inverted position on the rotary dump, it will be noted that mounted on parallel supports 2?, 2"! secured to end plates 28, in turn secured to the cross supports I0 and the circular end supports 4, are hammering toos 29 which assume upright positions above the mine car as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 when the mine car is inverted. There are shown herein three hammering tools spaced longitudinally of the rotary dump as shown in Fig. 1 although a greater or smaller number of tools may be employed under certain conditions. Each of these hammering tools comprises, as shown in Fig. 6, a tubular guide cylinder 3!] preferably welded to side plates 3i which are secured by screws 32 to the parallel supports 2?. Attached as by tie rods 33 to the ends of the cylinders are end plates 34 and 35, the latter having a central bore 36. Slidably guided in each of the guide cylinders 30 is a conventional hammer motor 31 comprising a motor cylinder 38 containing a reciprocatory hammer piston 39 for delivering impact blows to a tappet 40 guided in a The forward portion of the front cylinder head 41 is received in a bore 42 in a front cylindric guide block 43 which slidingly fits the bore of the guide cvlinder 30, and also arranged in the bore of the front guide block is a bushing 3-4 which slidingly receives and supports the shank 45 of a front striking bar 45. Arranged at the rear end of the motor cylinder is a, rear cylindric guide block 4'! also slidingly received in the guide cylinder bore. The cylinder parts and the front and rear guide blocks are held in assembled relation as by tie bolts 48. The front striking bar 46 is received in the bore 42 of the front guide block and is held therein for limited reciprocatorv movement by a pin and slot connection 49. The shank 45 of the striking bar pro ects rearwardly into the front cylinder head in position to receive the impact blows of the tappet 4D and the striking bar 46 projects forwardly through the bore 36 in the front head plate 35 of the guide cylinder in position to strike blows on the plane surface 50 of a channel iron 5! suitably rigidly secured to the bottom of the body 19 of the mine car I. The hammer motor unit of each hammering tool is freely slidable within the bore of the guide cylinder 38 and each guide cylinder is slotted longitudinally at 52 along one side thereof. Fluid under pressure may be supplied to the hammer motors of the several hammering too's from a common supplv pipe 53 extending longitudinally of and supported within the rotary dump, through flexible branch supply hoses 543 which pass through the guide cvlinder slots 52 into connection with a conventional automatic fluid distributing means of the hammer motors. The fluid distributing means, as is well known to those skilled in the art, automatically distributes fluid through suitable ports and passages to the motor cylinder under the control of a conventional fluid distributing valve mechanism to effect rapid reciprocation of the hammer piston whenever the pressure fluid supply is turned on. Since the specific structure of the fluid distributing means does not per se enter into the present invention, further disclosure thereof herein is unnecessary. The hammering tools above described are fully disclosed in the copending application referred to above.

The improved fluid supply means for the hammering tools comprises an automatic fluid supply coupling 56 having its outer element pivotally mounted at 56 on an upright support 59 carried by the platform 2! at one side of the rotary dump. The outer coupling element 5'! is vertically swingable about its pivot and a counterbalancing weight 66, arranged in a vertical tubular guide 6| carried on the platform, is connected by a cable 62 to the outer coupling element, and the cable is suitably guided on rolls carried by the upright support in the manner shown. This counterbalancing weight serves to maintain the coupling element 5'! in the inclined position shown in Fig. 2and when the coupling element is swung either upwardly or downwardly, it automatically returns to its initial position shown. The outer coupling element 51 comprises a tubular support 63 having fixed to its outer end a rear head 64 of a fluid cylinder 65 containing a reciprocable piston 66. The piston has a tubular piston rod 61 extending outwardly through a front cylinder head 68 and surrounding the piston rod within the cylinder is a coil spring 69 which constantly urges the piston toward its retracted position shown in Fig. 4. The cylinder 65 and the heads 64 and 68 are held in assembled relation as by tie bolts 16. Secured to the outer end of the piston rod is a hollow member H provided with a valve seat 12. Slidably mounted on the exterior cylindric surface of the member H is a valve carrying member 13 formed with a ported web 14 to which the stem 75 of an end seating valve 16 is secured and this valve is engageable with thevalve seat 12. The member 73 has a rubber tip or nose l1 receivable, when the fluid supply coupling 55 is connected as shown in Fig. 3, in a conicalsocket 18 of an inner coupling element 19 on the rotary dump and the bottom of this socket is connected by a flexible supply hose 86 to the supply pipe 53. The inner coupling element has lateral trunnions 8| pivotally mounted in ears 62 integral with a bracket 63 secured to a support on.the rotary dump. oppositely acting coil springs 86 are connected to the ends of arms 85 secured to the trunnions 8| for holding the inner coupling element E9 in its central position'shown in Fig. 7,-and in the event the coupling element is tilted in one direction or the other, the springs automatically return the same to th central position shown. A flexible fluid supply hose 86 is connected to the upper end of the tubular support 66 oil the outer coupling element 51 and leads to anautomatic control valve 81 supported on the upright support 59, and this valve controls the connection of the hose 86 with a fluid supply pipe 68 leading to a source of pressure fluid supply or with an exhaust pipe 89, as hereinafter explained.

Now referring to the automatic control means therefor, it will be noted that arranged in a bore 96 in a valve casing Si is a reciprocable spool valve 92 which is moved in one direction by a spring 93 and in the opposite direction by a solenoid 94. The fluid supply-hos and the supply and exhaust pipes communicate withthe valvereceiving bore 96 as shown in Fig. 8. Energization of the solenoid 94 is controlled by a' conventional limit switch 95 (see Fig. 9)- which is actuated by a cam 96 secured to a circular end support l of the rotary dump. When the dump is mine car ll turned right side up, the limit switch is held open by the cam, breaking the circuit to the solenoid, deenergizing the latter and the spool valve 92 is moved by the spring 93 to its right-hand position as viewed in Fig. 8, with the supply pipe 88 cut off and the supply hose 86 vented to atmosphere through exhaust pipe 69.

'When the supply hose 86 is connected to exhaust,

When the nose 1! is released from the socket in the inner coupling element and pressure fluid is supplied through hose 86 and tubular support 63 to the cylinder 65 and through the tubular piston rod 69 to the hollow interior of the member H, the pressure fluid acts on the valve 16 to hold the latter outwardly against its seat l2 as shown in Fig. 4. When the dump is rotated to turn the mine car I l in its'inverted position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the cam 96 on the rotary dump actuates the limit switch 95 to close the circuit, thereby energizing the solenoid 94 to move the spool valve 92 to the left from its position shown in Fig. 8, with the exhaust 89 closed and the supply hose 86 connected to the supply pipe 88. Pressure fluid may then flow through hose 86 and the tubular support 63 to the cylinder 65, the pressure fluid acting on the piston 66 to move the latter forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, forcing the rubber nose l1 tightly into the conical socket 1B of the inner coupling element, thereby to connect the fluid supply coupling 56. As the rubber nose 1! is forced into the conical socket in the inner coupling element, the valve '!6 is unseated, opening the fluid supply to the hammering tools.

The general mode of operation of the rotary dump is as follows. When the rotary dump is in the position shown in Fig. 5, a loaded mine car i I may travel along the trackway I3 leading to the rotary dump and along thetrack rails [2 in the dump and as the mine car moves along the rails l2 onto the rotary dump, the side flanges I l are received in the guideways on the mine car. The operator may then start the motor 22 and manipulate the lever 26 to'eflect rotation of the dump through the gearing 24, 25 from the position shown in Fig. 5 through to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the mine car is inverted to discharge its contents, and the gearing 24, 25 may then be disconnected from the motor in any suitable manner either manually or automatically. As the rotary dump turns from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the hammering motors 3'! of the hammering tools 29 slide inwardly along their guides 30 from their inverted inacti e position to their operative position shown in Fig. 6, with the striking bar 46 in engagement with the surface 56 at the bottom of the mine car and as the rotary dump approaches the position shown in Fig. 2, the cam 96 on the dump actuates the limit switch 95 to energize the solenoid 94 to open the slide valve 92, thereby'to supply pressure fluid from the supply pipe 88 past the valve and through the supply hose 86 and tubular support 63 to the cylinder 65, thereby moving the piston 66 forwardly to eflect connection of the fluid supply coupling 56. When the fluid supply coupling is connected, pressure fluid may flow through the supply hose 80, supply pipe 53 and branch hoses 54 to the hammering motors to effect hammering on the car bottom, thereby to release the wet and sticky coal or other material which may be packed in the car bottom. When the inverted mine car is completely unloaded, the operator may manipulate the lever to effect rotation of the dump from the position shown in Fig. 2 through 180 back to its position shown in Fig. 5 to turn the empty car right side up, and upon initiation of rotation of the dump toward the position shown in Fig. 5, the cam 96 causes the limit switch to open, breaking the circuit to the solenoid to deenergize the latter. When the solenoid is deenergized, the spool valve 92 is moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 8, by the coil spring 93, cutting oil the fluid supply and connecting the supply hose 86 with the exhaust pipe 89, thereby venting the cylinder 65 and efiecting automatic release of the fluid supply coupling 56. Upon initiation of rotation of the rotary dump from the position shown in Fig. 2, the inner coupling element on the dump moves slightly away from the coupling element prior to the disconnection of the coupling and as a result, the outer coupling element 57 swings about its pivot 58 while, at the same time, the inner coupling element 58 rocks on its pivot until the coupling is disconnected by venting of the pressure fluid. As previously stated, the inner coupling element and the outer coupling element automatically return to their initial positions shown when disconnected. When u the rotary dump is in the position shown in Fig. 5, with the empty mine car turned right side up, the mine car may then be moved along the track rails l2 from the rotary dump onto the trackway I4 leading from the dump.

As a result of this invention, it will be noted that a rotary car dump is provided having associated therewith improved means for hammering on the bottom of an inverted mine car on the dump to release any wet and sticky material which might be solidly packed in the car bottom. It will further be evident that by the provision of the improved automatic control means, the hammering tools on the rotary dump are automatically rendered effective to hammer on the car bottom when the dump is rotated to invert the mine car, and are automatically rendered inactive upon rotation of the dump toward its position wherein the mine car is turned right side up. It will further be evident that by the provision of the improved automatic fluid supply coupling, pressure fluid is automatically supplied to the hammering tools when the dump is rotated to invert the mine car and the fluid supply to the hammering tools is automatically discontinued upon initiation of rotation of the rotary dump toward its position wherein the car is turned right side up. Other uses and advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration, and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a material unloading apparatus, the combination comprising a rotary car dump adapted to receive a loaded car and to invert the car to discharge its contents, fluid actuated hammering means on said rotary dump for hammering on the bottom of the inverted car, and means for supplying fluid from an extraneous source to said hammering means comprising a coupling element on said rotary dump, a coupling element extraneous to said dump, and fluid actuated means for moving said last mentioned coupling element into fluid tight engagement with said first mentioned coupling element.

2. In a material unloading apparatus, the combination comprising a rotary car dump adapted to receive a loaded car and to invert the car to discharge its contents, fluid actuated hammering means on said rotary dump for hammering on the bottom of the inverted car, and means for supplying fluid from an extraneous source to said hammering means comprising a coupling element on said rotary dump, a coupling element extraneous to said dump, fluid actuated means for moving said last mentioned coupling element into fluid tight engagement with said first mentioned coupling element, and means for pivotally mounting said first mentioned coupling element on said dump so that said second mentioned coupling element may move into engagement therewith even when said coupling elements are out of exact alinement.

3. In a material unloading apparatus, the combination comprising a rotary car dump for receiving a loaded mine car and rotatable to invert the car to discharge its contents, power operating hammering means mounted on said rotary dump for impartin hammer blows to the car when the latter is inverted, and means automatically controlled by rotation of said dump for supplying power medium to said hammering means when said dump assumes its position wherein the car is inverted, said supply means including a power medium conducting connection on said rotary dump and operatively connected to said hammering means, a power medium conducting connection extraneous to said dump and operatively connected to an extraneous source of power medium supply and means for bringing said connections into operative power medium conducting relation when said connections are in substantial registry.

4. In a material unloading apparatus, the com bination comprising a, rotary car dump for receiving a loaded mine car and rotatable to invert the car to discharge its contents, power operating hammerin means mounted on said rotary dump for imparting hammer blows to the car when the latter is inverted, and means automatically controlled by rotation of said dump for supplying power medium to said hammering means when said dump assumes its position wherein the car is inverted, said supply means including a power medium conducting connection on said rotary dump and operatively connected to said hammering means, a power medium conducting connection extraneous to said dump and operatively connectedto an extraneous source of power medium supply and means for bringing said connections into operative power medium conducting relation when said connections are in substantial registery, said last mentioned means incl di g a power operated feeding device for said extraneous power medium conducting connection, control means for said feedin device and a control device for said control means including a control element rotatable with said rotary dump.

5. In a material unloading apparatus, the combination comprising a rotary car dump for receiving a loaded car and for inverting the car to discharge its contents, power operated hammering means mounted on said rotary dump for imparting hammer blows to the car when the latter is inverted, and means for automatically supplying power medium to said hammering means whensaid rotary dump assumes its position wherein the car is inverted, said automatic supply means for the power medium including a operating fluid to said hammering means when said dump assumes its position wherein the car is invertedfsaid supply means including a fluid conducting connection on said rotary dump and operatively connected to said hammering means, a fluid conducting connection extraneous to said dump and operatively connected to an extraneous source of fluid supply, and means for bringing said connections into operative fluid conducting relation when said connections are in substantial registry;

i 7. In a material unloading apparatus, the com I bination comprising a rotary car dump for receiving a loaded car and rotatable to invert the car to discharge its contents, fluid operated hammering meansmounted on said rotary dump for imparting hammer blows to the car when the latter is inverted, and meansautomatically controlled by rotatiorr of said dump for supplying operating fluid to said hammering means when said dump assumes its position wherein the car is-inverted, said supply meansincluding a fluid conducting connection on said rotary dump and operatively connected to said hammering means, a fluid conducting connection extraneous to said dump and operatively connected to an extraneous source of fluid supply, and means for bringing said connections into operative fluid conducting relation when said connections are in substantial registry, said last mentioned means including fluid operated feeding means for said extraneous fluid conducting connection, control valve means for said feeding means and a control device for said valve means including a control element rotatable with said rotary dump. a

8. In a material unloading apparatus, the com bination comprising rotary supporting means adapted to support a receptacle containing material to be unloaded and rotatable to invert the receptacle to discharge its contents, power operated means on said rotary supporting means for efiecting connection of said elements and control means including a control element rotatable with said supporting means for controlling said connection-eifecting means. 9. In a material unloading apparatus, the com-' bination comprising a rotary car dump for receiving a loaded mine car and rotatable to invert the car to discharge its contents, a fluid actuated hammering mechanism mounted on said rotary dump for imparting hammer blows to the car when the latter is inverted, a fluid supply for said hammering mechanism comprising a fluid supply coupling, said coupling including a coupling element on said rotary dum and having a conical socket, a coupling element extraneous to said dump and mounted for movement toward and from said socketed element and having-a nose re- I ceivable in fluid tight engagement with the Walls of said conical socket, a fluid actuated piston for moving said nose into engagement with V the socket Walls, and control meansincluding a control element actuated by said rotary dump for reflecting fluid supply to cause the fluid to seem said piston to actuate the latter when said coupling elements are brought into substantial registry. v

10. In a material unloading apparatus, the combination comprising a rotary car dump for receiving a loaded mine car and rotatable to invert the car to discharge its contents, fluid actuated hammering mechanism on said rotary dump for imparting hammer blows to the car when the latter is inverted, and means automatically con-l I trolled by rotation of said dump for supplying pressure fluid to said hammering mechanism when said dump assumes its position wherein the fluid supply coupling, said coupling including a and controlled by rotation of the latter for striking hammer blows on said receptacle whenever said supporting means is rotated to invert the socke'ted coupling element on said rotary dump and pivotally mounted for rocking movement, a

pivotally mounted coupling element extraneous to said dump and having a nose receivable in the socket of said first mentioned coupling element in fluid tight engagement with the socket walls when said coupling elements are brought into substantial registry, and fluid actuated means for moving the nose of said second mentioned coupling element into said socket, said pivotal mount ings for said coupling elements permitting fluid tight engagement of said nose with the socket walls even when said coupling elements are out of exact alignment.

11. In a material unloading apparatus, the

combination comprising rotary supporting means 1 adapted to support a receptacle containing ma-- terial to be unloaded and rotatableto invert the receptacle to discharge its contents, a power oper- *ated hammer mechanism on said rotary supporting means and controlled by rotation of the latter for striking hammer blows on said receptacle whenever said supporting means is rotated to invert the receptacle, and means for supplying power-medium to said power operated hammer mechanism comprising a power medium conducting coupling including a coupling element on said rotary supporting means and having a conical socket, a power medium conducting coupling element mounted extraneous to said supporting means for movement toward and from said socketed element when said elements are brought into substantial registry and having a nose receivable in tight sealing contact with the walls of said conical socket, a power operated feeding element for moving said nose into contact with the socket walls, means for retracting said feeding element when power medium supply to said feeding element is discontinued, and control means includ ingacgntrol'elernent rotatable with said supporting means for controlling the supply of power mediunr'to said fee iilg element for effecting such connection of, said coupling elements when said receptacle assumes its inverted position and for interrupting such supply to said feeding element whn said receptacle is moved toward its upright position.

12. In a material unloading apparatus, the combination comprising rotary supporting means adapted'to support a'receptacle containing material to be unloaded androtatable to invert the receptacle to 'discha'rge its contents, a power operated hammer meehanisin 'on said rotary supporting "means and: controlled by rotation of the latter for striking ham rher'blows on said recepta'cle wheneversaid'supporting means is rotated to invert the receptacle, and means for supplyin'g power medium to said mechanism comprising a power medium conducting coupling including a coupling element on said rotary supporting means and having a socket and a power medium conduit leading therefrom, a coupling element extraneous to said supporting means and having a power mediu'in' conduit therethrough and a control element associated therewith for controlling power medium 'flowpower operated means for moving said second "'mentioned coupling. element into -tight sealing contact with the socket walls of said first mentioned coupling element when said coupling elements are brought into substantial registry upon rotation of said supporting means to invert the receptacle, means associated with said second mentioned co upling' element for moving said control element into its open position when said coupling'elements are brought into contact to permit power mediurn' flow through said coupling elements to said first mentioned power medium conduit, and for automatically retracting said second mentioned coupling element when powermediurn flow to said moving means isdiscontinued.

13. Infa material unloading apparatus, thecombination comprising a rotary car dump for receiving a loaded mine car and rotatable to invert the car' to discharge its contents, a fluid operated impact mechanism "on said rotary "dump for imparting'impact blows to the car when the latter is inverted, and means forsupplying operating fluid to said impacflmechanism comprisinga 'fluid conducting coupling, said coupling including a fluid cylinder extraneous to said rotary dump and containing a reciprocable hollow piston having. its

tubular piston rod extending outwardly from said cylinder, means for supplying fluidto said cylinder to urge said piston forwardly, means for retracting said piston when said cylinder is vented, a fiuidl'conducting coupling element carried at the outer end of said piston rod, a fluid-conducting coupling element on said rotary dump and with which said reciprocable coupling element is movable into coacting engagement when said coupling elements are brought into substantial registry, the fluid in said cylinder flowing through said piston rod and through said coacting coupling elements to said impact mechanism, and control 'means including a'c'ontrof element rotatable with said rotary dump for controlling fluid fl'owto "said fiuidfsupply means for said cyl inder and for venting said cylinder;

1%. In a material unloading apparatus, the combination comprising a rotary car dump for receivinga loaded mine car and rotatable to invert the car to discharge its contents, a fluid operated impact mechanism meunted on said rotary dump for imparting impact blows to the car. when the latter is inverted, and means for supplying operating fluid to. said impact"m'chanism com prising a fluid conducting coupling, said'coupling including a fluid cylinder extraneous to said ro tary dump and containing. a reciprocable'hollow piston having its tubularpiston rod extending outwardly from said cylinder, means forsupply ing fluid to said cylinder to urge said piston forwardly, means for. retracting said piston when said cylinder is. vented," a fluid conducting cou pling element carried. at the outer end of said piston rod, aw fluid conducting coupling element on said rotary dump and with which said reciprocable coupling element is movable into coacting. engagement when said coupling elementsjare brought into substantial registry, the fluid in said cylinder, flowing through 'said' piston rod and through said coacting. coupling. elements to said impact mechanism, a valvedevice carried by said reciprocable coupling element and movable rela tive to said piston red when, said coupling elements, are moved together for controlling 'flu'id: flow through saidcoupling'elements, and control means including, a control element rotatable, with saiddump forcontrollingfthe' fluid supply to.said fluid. supplyingfmeans'of. said cylinder and for. ventim-Ltsaid-v cylinder."

' wan ran. D. FISH.

Q IE The iollowingreferences are of record in the OTHER. FE EN ES Mining Congress Journal, September 1944 (pages 40and 41); 

